Datsun 240Z L24 Engine Full Rebuild [video] (opens in new tab)

He is very skilled and a pleasure to watch. His restorations make the items better than the original. The Datsun project is a bit boring as I'm not a car guy, but I'm impressed that he manages to keep the level of craftsmanship high.

Bad Obsession Motorsport's Project Binky is also highly recommended to anyone who wants to watch a couple guys basically build a car from scratch. Lotta fabrication in that one.

Bart Simpson meme: say-the-line:

“I make a new one”

Love this channel so much.

Was about to post this, thoroughly enjoyed the 3 videos last night. The attention to detail is wild, the time investment to build + edit the videos is also commendable... I think he said he spent about 4+ months now on the bodywork.

Mymechanics videos are amazing. The level of detail and skill is just astounding. You should watch a random restoration video. He can make restoring a wooden spoon interesting

That car was in excellent condition. Not much of a restoration.

You'll see the iron change color when the water is driven from it

Can confirm. Had an engine stand break in ‘94. With a fully assembled SBC about to get on the cherry picker to install. Instead it landed in my foot. Curiously, I didn’t break anything. Also the only time ive ever had a triage nurse avoid paperwork and just send me to xray

Engine, sure, but a Nissan/Datsun manual transmission is only like 80lbs, if that.

I had the 280ZX Turbo. Of my dozen past cars, that's the one I still miss to this day. Not as powerful as my old Mustangs, but light as a feather and one of the best overall balanced cars I've ever owned. Even today's cars are all about a single aspect or two. The old Datsun just balanced everything perfectly - even the turbo lag was consistent and in character for the rest of the car.

I own this car and the engine. I did extensive engine repairs and maintenance (rod bearings, valve cover seals, throttle actuators, SAP, plugs, coils, sensors).

This is insanely expensive amount of parts in this video, not even counting the work itself. Basically it would never make economic sense to do a rebuild like this.

Look up the Scarab series of modded Datsuns too (Chevy 327 V8 in a 280Z):

https://datsunforum.com/the-scarab-legend-the-original-hybri...

Yeah. Nice looking cars but kind of a pile under the sheet metal. And that L-series is just ugh. Yuck. I hated working on them

> Many called it the "Two Forty Zee" while many of us naturally said "Two Forty Zed."

Isn't "zed" vs "zee" mostly a US vs UK thing? Wouldn't "two forty zee" be natural to many?

I kind of like Nissan/Datsun's domestic naming schemes.

Who doesn't want to be rolling around in a Fairlady, Cedric or even a Rasheen!

Just a suggestion … start with rebuilding a used lawnmower engine, sell it. Buy a used automotive carburetor, a brand like Holly, rebuild that then sell it. Move on to a used car that Uses a naturally aspirated carburetor. Start with something easy such as the brakes, then rebuild the engine. The rear end would be rather easy and fun to rebuild, then try the transmission. Hayes/Chilton books worked well. Manufacturer shop manuals are the best. I was able to buy a shop manual book for my Datsun 280ZX when I restored that way back in the day (pre-internet). These days, verify the content in YouTube videos you watch with the manuals if you are not comfortable doing it. Buy the tools as you need them. Find a local machine shop for things like head and valve work, cleaning the engine block and checking for cracks, etc.

To answer your question as to where did I learn that, I did all of the above in a class in high school.

Just get an old car and buy some tools and teach yourself. There's a ton of information online. For a lot of cars, you can find step-by-step instructions or walkthrough videos of common procedures.

I would start with some easier procedures to get your confidence up, like maybe a valve cover gasket replacement or a serpentine belt replacement. Then move on to harder things.

Also, if you live in a rust-prone area (and you are using simple hand tools), your most important items will be penetrating oil, a big breaker bar, and a large sledgehammer. :) Getting rusty things unstuck is kind of an art in and of itself.

Buy an old car or motorcycle which has service data available to the consumer and uses commonly available parts. Start by learning how to change all the fluids, then start replacing wear items and making repairs.

Some good learning resources:

- Honda Common Service Manual (general motorcycle repair)

- Haynes, Clymer, or official service data for your vehicle

- ChrisFix on YouTube

- Revzilla's The Shop Manual (and its precursor, Motorcyclist's MC Garage)

- The forum or subreddit for your vehicle

Buy an old car. When problems start appearing, learn how fix them. I feel most "car guys" got started this way in their youth, out of necessity.

Get something cheap to learn on at first, before spending the time and money on a "classic". Something fairly common, so you can find info on repair online (forums/youtube). Get a Haynes workshop manual for it.

Make sure you have access to a garage space with a lift.

I’m 42 now but I started when I was 6 on model cars.

Haha, yep. In general, it's one of the biggest sources of oil drips when a vehicle is parked on a steep driveway.